Good Maen, good people. I guess the Sugar Plum Dream did the trick. I slept for 4-1/2 hours then got up to stoke the fires in the woodstoves. I didn't check the temp overnight but right now it's 4F (-15.5C) with a windchill of -10F (-23C). Sadly, it's rather a common winter temp around here, nothing extraordinary. And it sucks the heat right out of this old house ... and this old body.

07/Jan/17 1:21 AM

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On the bright side - literally - the lake effect snow machine turned off its motor overhead and I can actually see the sun breaking through the clouds casting shadows. There are a few rare bits of color in the landscape, mainly some red autumn olive berries, a washed out blue sky and the beige More...

07/Jan/17 1:30 AM

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Here's a humorous take on winter, rating the 50 States on a winter misery scale. You have to scroll through nearly the whole countdown article to get to Michigan, which it rates as second most miserable the nation. And yes. My winter lifeline is to tell myself that at least I don't live in More...

07/Jan/17 2:01 AM

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Ha. Made you look.

07/Jan/17 2:03 AM

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so does today's photo ... It makes you look! Glad for the caption giving a clue that something tricksy is up.

07/Jan/17 2:10 AM

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After a couple of weeks my Melbourne family head home later this morning. The house will seem very quiet and I will miss them. So will all the birds in the back yard that have been getting overfed. Kookaburras, lorikeets, cockatoos, king parrots, native minors etc.

07/Jan/17 2:32 AM

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all.

07/Jan/17 2:34 AM

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Well, June, sounds as if you will have to put your feet up in a garden chaise and commiserate with the flock.

07/Jan/17 2:40 AM

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Thank you, Wombat, for your kind compliment. What kind of friend would I be if I didn't make room for others in my delusions?

07/Jan/17 2:42 AM

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Everyone!Thank you Plum for winter state rankings. I grew up in South Dakota and lived in Minnesota for awhile. Brrr...Have been in California for last 45 years! When I want snow, I can drive into the Sierras. THEN drive back and out of it!

07/Jan/17 2:47 AM

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I'm sitting on the couch under three blankets, holding down a sunbeam. Can't let it get away! I'm drinking warm pop from a mug. Both were left out in the living room overnight. I don't want to get up to turn the kettle on because my socks and slippers are all the way across the house and my feet More...

07/Jan/17 2:50 AM

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Denny, if you ever need someone to house sit for you, give me a call.

07/Jan/17 2:52 AM

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It's about time for Skye to put in an educational DVD to do her history lesson for today, but that would mean pulling down the windowshade and it just seems wrong to block out much appreciated sunlight! Can we call off school for a sun day instead of a snow day? After all, homeschoolers never get 'snow days' off.

07/Jan/17 2:59 AM

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Goodness. I've dominated the postings thus far. I wonder if Keith is around to race to 22? We're almost there. I wonder if he has some sort of 6th sense about it?

07/Jan/17 3:02 AM

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Maybe we should all try a mental 'shout out' to Keith and see if he shows up?

07/Jan/17 3:03 AM

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Plum: We're number two??? Now I know why I've wanted to stay under my down-filled duvet all day! It's best to hibernate!

07/Jan/17 3:04 AM

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That's two days in a row that I've stumbled on Keith's number!

07/Jan/17 3:05 AM

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Snow everywhere but where we are. I'm at the tail end of a rotten cold/flu that struck on New Year's Eve, and now hubby's just come home, barking like a seal. Looks like more fun at our place this weekend, with the lozenges and tissues and endless pots of tea. Cats are doing well, though.

07/Jan/17 3:17 AM

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Wha...how...oh bother...missed it again.

07/Jan/17 3:18 AM

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Shiela, you deserve some sort of consolation. I already used your today.

07/Jan/17 3:18 AM

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Sorry, Keith. I tried to call you. You need to put a new battery in your ESP.

07/Jan/17 3:20 AM

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Good morning all -

07/Jan/17 3:20 AM

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Chase makes a fine dish - I'd have a tiny sliver, please!

07/Jan/17 3:23 AM

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Cathy, alternate cups of tea with sips of honey, whiskey and lemon. I hate menthol-eucalyptus lozenges, so I keep a bottle of Evan Williams honey whiskey in the cabinet for medicinal purposes.

07/Jan/17 3:25 AM

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Cathy, when we were sick my mom renamed our cat Florence Nightingale because 'Florence' slept snuggled up to our sick bodies. I'm sure your cats are up to a similar nursing stint. Hope both you and hubby get well soon.

07/Jan/17 3:30 AM

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Alas, I must throw off my blankets, plug this tablet into the charger, visit the little Eskimos room (I'm thinking of a go-fund-me for a heated seat), turn on the kettle and pull the windowshade. Because School.Must.Go.On.

07/Jan/17 3:34 AM

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everyone!!!

07/Jan/17 4:25 AM

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Went for a run this morning. I must not have been active the last few days because my legs feel tired! Oh well at least it wasn't cold!